Necessity mothers it!

Image: Courtesy of Sunday's Whirligig 2 (here)

I  for Inventions

The given words:
mirror ravish stop brush weight vent 
sink tooth cement orange page spoon

Necessity mothers it
Great minds will it
Others mirror it
Entrepreneurs ravish it
Followers stop to think
Many just happen to brush in
Some throw their weight in
to vent their anger
They hope to sink in a bid
They fight tooth and nail
To cement their prowess
on how to make their pile

Not stopping for orange alert
but instead they bulldoze in
picking from a page of discoveries
to spoon unsuspecting consumers
with 'nice to have' inventions

For MMT's hosting of Sunday's Whirligig 2
Blogging A to Z  -  I and
Anthony's hosting of OpenLinkNight #146

The Falls in Iceland (YH #6)

Continuing with the awesome adventure of Yusuf Hashim right to the minute. These were posted on April 08, 2015 in Iceland where Yusuf is leading his special band of 'tourists photographers'  Obviously they are having the time of their life.

This is the Modern Day Explorer #6

The Modern Day Explorer #5 (here)

Hank for the life of me had never anticipated the beautiful sights there. Yusuf is doing his bit for Icelandic tourism certainly!

H for the Hrafnarbjargafoss Falls

                                                                                         Attribution: Yusuf Hashim
Image: The Hrafnarbjargafoss Falls

Yusuf Hashim says:
This is a waterfall with an unpronounceable name. Shot with my Samdung. It's the Hrafnarbjargafoss fall. Still partly frozen, it's the most beautiful falls in Iceland. We had to take a 4x4 super jeep to reach her.....

Image: The Aldeyrafoss Falls

Yusuf Hashim says:
Where I was this morning with my Little Samdung phone camera. This waterfall is the Aldeyrafoss. It's exceptionally beautiful. ...

More of Yusuf Hashim (here)

Ghosts of Myvatn.(YH #5)

                                                                                            Attribution: Yusuf Hashim
Image: Yusuf Hashim at the Myvatn volcanic Region (here)
(hot from the Press, this is Yusuf's posting on April 07,2015)

This is Modern Day Explorer #5
Modern Day Explorer #4 (here)

G for Ghosts of Myvatn

Continuing the incredible yet delightful saga of the Yusuf Hashim Photo Safari in Iceland. Hank is most enthralled by Yusuf's authoritative description of the physical make-up around him.Certainly much more informative than those geography lessons we used to hear about in school before.

Yusuf Hashim says:

Ghosts of Myvatn.
We were in the Myvatn volcanic region of North Central Iceland this morning. Volcanoes, like pimples, dominate the dark lava landscape, whitened by generous icing of snow. The area is like you've descended into another sinister world. Geysers of steam erupt everywhere around us. There is a strong sulphuric smell that hangs in the air and makes our clothes smell of sulphur.
Mývatn is a shallow eutrophic lake in an area of active volcanism in the north of Iceland, not far from Krafla volcano. Eutrophic means the lake has high biological productivity. Due to excessive nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, eutrophic water bodies are able to support an abundance of aquatic plants. Usually the water body will be dominated either by aquatic plants or algae. When aquatic plants dominate, the water tends to be clear. When algae dominates the water tends to be darker. The algae engages in photosynthesis which supplies oxygen to the fish and biota which inhabit these waters. And the waters of Lake Myvatn is clear darkish black. Many parts of the lake are still frozen. The biting cold wind is so strong it can blow you off your feet.
Myvatn lake and its surrounding wetlands have an exceptionally rich fauna of waterbirds, especially ducks. The lake was created by a large basaltic lava eruption 2300 years ago, and the surrounding landscape is dominated by volcanic landforms, including lava pillars and rootless vents called pseudocraters. The river Laxá which flows out of the lake is known for its rich fishing for Brown Trout and Atlantic Salmon.
Its a photographer's paradise and we made hundreds of shots here.

And the icing on the cake, the man himself announcing his open invitation.
Yusuf is Hank's buddy but he can also be your buddy if you answer his call. This is the latest, posted on April 07, 2015, read on....

Yusuf Hashim says:

The biting cold wind in the Namafjall Hvrir volcanic region in North Iceland is really strong. Almost blew me into one of the many sulphuric acid pools there. I can now add Iceland as one of the four places in the world that you MUST visit before you move on. The other three are Patagonia, the North West Frontier of Pakistan and the Himalayas. Iceland has so much to offer, and especially in the north sparsely populated area, the raw beauty of the harsh black lava volcanic landscape with its icing of pure white snow, is like someplace on Mars. Really really beautiful. I've just arranged to do one more PhotoSafari to Iceland fom 1-7 September, for those who missed joining me this round, and also as an appetizer for those who are coming with me on my schooner expedition to Greenland from 8-16 Sep 2015

There you have it, any takers?

For Blogging A to Z for April  -  G

Crave for Outdoor Excitements (YH #4)

                                                                                            Attribution: Yusuf Hashim
Image: The Aurora Borealis - posted by
Yusuf Hashim on March 30, 2015 (here) 

This is Modern Day Explorer #4
Modern Day Explorer #3 (here)

Yusuf Hashim says:

When most of us go to places like Iceland, foremost in our minds is to experience the Aurora Borealis or the Northern lights, These last three nights, Miss Aurora has been especially hyperactive, stimulated perhaps by the presence of about a dozen red blooded Malaysians, and one Singaporean,warming the cold -4 degrees Celsius Icelandic nights. Its not only been cold but its been snowing rather heavily the last 36 hours, making everything, including the roads and the glaciers in this island of Fire and Ice, completely white.

For the scientifically inclined, Aurora occur when highly charged electrons from the solar wind interact with elements in the earth's atmosphere. Solar winds stream away from the sun at speeds of about 1 million miles per hour. When they reach the earth, some 40 hours after leaving the sun, they follow the lines of magnetic force generated by the earth's core and flow through the magnetosphere, a teardrop-shaped area of highly charged electrical and magnetic fields.

As the electrons enter the earth's upper atmosphere, they will encounter atoms of oxygen and nitrogen at altitudes from 20 to 200 miles above the earth's surface. The colour of the aurora depends on which atom is struck, and the altitude of the meeting. The colour is green when they hit oxygen molecules up to 150 miles in altitude. It is red when they hit oxygen, above 150 miles. When Nitrogen is struck at altitudes below 60 miles, the colour is blue. Abov 60 miles its's purple or violet.

For the more romantically inclined like me, Aurora is simply the Roman goddess of dawn, In the Northern hemisphere its called Aurora Borealis. In the southern hemisphere, they are called Aurora Australis   More of Yusuf Hashim (here)

F for Faraway Places

Hank’s buddy, Yusuf Hashim is still proudly holding the flag up high. A modern day explorer he holds dear the feelings of freedom of choice and is happily gallivanting across the globe. The last we hear he is in Iceland leading a group of 13 photo enthusiasts all over the icy landscape. An accomplished photographer Yusuf relayed beautiful pictures to accompany the account of his travels. Yusuf has already documented these rare pictures in several books and these are available online. Yusuf is one fine guy who has pushed the spirit of adventure several notches higher from levels of our student days at the Royal Military College (here) decades ago!

Faraway places

Beckon to rekindle the

spirit of travels

Endurance called for

off-road encroachments which are

the more exciting

The tough and tumble

are for ‘tourists’ who crave for

outdoor excitements

For Blogging from A to Z - F and
Kerry's hosting of Tuesday Platform at
Real Toads

Eating Out

Image: Taken at the Curve

E for Eating Out

Eating out not that
frequent but when occasion
demands it happens

Such was  April 3rd
The birthday of Shadah their
Mom, my loving wife

Brought their family
Made bee-line to the Curve all
three generations

Carefully wanting to Fathom what is Enough!

                                                                               Artist: Louis Francois (1775 - 1848)
Image: Napoleon Giving Orders at the Battle of Lodi (here)

The given words

crack birdsong careful fathom enough dispute

war pounding parable save fruits suitcase

a crack at a birdsong humming out of tune

carefully wanting to fathom what is enough

a dispute allowed to fester without recourse

what will there be in stopping a war

when the outcome does not prick a conscience

will there be a solution?

pounding on human dwellings

a parable to be later dubbed collateral damage

to save is not to destroy
that is the justification

lame contention as they are destroyed anyway

smirking gleefully upon the victory

over enemies imagined but hopelessly unarmed

where are the fruits of labor to be enjoyed

but perhaps stored in a suitcase

to be carried together upon demise

to be accountable for later

karma has a way to determine

what goes around comes around

it may even be determined before demise

of untold sufferings of the ‘victors’

upon the conclusion of a conflict

For MMT's hosting at Sunday Whirligig #1 and
A Special A to Z Tribute: Tina Downey

  

Cuts rightly on emotions!

                                                                            Attribution: Alexander Maier
Image: Frog in a sad mood (here)

D for Depression

Moody off tangent

Cuts rightly on emotions

Woes situations

Modern day problems
Impinge on innocent man
The strong ones fight back

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #699  -  depression 
and Blogging from A to Z letter D and
Mary's at PU's Poetry Pantry#246

The color green is special

Image1:  Hank, at 19 years (left) and Michael Yoong, at 17 years 
communicating during military exercise at the Annual Camp 1963 

Image 2: Michael Yoong ( fondly called Dr Michael Young by his patients)
now happily retired in New Jersey doting on his granddaughter together with his
loving daughter Irene Yoong

Earlier postings of life in the Royal Military College

1. Capt (later Col) Jim Bradley (here)
2. Annual Camp 1963 (here)

3. In the Nick of Time - Kelantan River Expedition (here)

C for Color Green

The color green is special

Soft and friendly environment

Bathed in a soothing spectacle

Pleasing to the sight

That greets one in the early morning mist

Relaying a peaceful message

From the night before

Of great significance to Hank

When growing up

Of an institution akin to the 'House that 

built you' in character and in person

Yes, an institution steeped in military

tradition based on

the color of Jungle Green

Hank found himself as a scraggly innocent

Barely 15 years of age

Accepted and admitted into the 

Royal Military College years ago

A premier school

That was when color green got 

embedded fondly

for a little corner in his heart

Modelled roughly along those

of West Point and Sandhurst

But from the High School years

with option to take on a military

career or stay on civvy street

Hank chose to stay on in civvy street

But with great memories of challenges

of a soldier-boy which other teenagers

could just dream of!

For Mama Zen's hosting at Real Toads - The
House that Built You
Blogging from A to Z Challenge - C

Great way of staying afloat

                                                                                                       Attribution: Troydj

Image: Bogey Hole NSW (here)

B for Bogey Hole

The Bogey Hole is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register 

in recognition of its importance in the course of NSW's history. 

Potentially the place has national significance as the earliest 
known example in the whole of Australia of a purpose-built 
ocean swimming pool  -  Wiki

Ocean swimming pool

Great way of staying afloat

Exhilarating!

Deep in their hearts an event awaited for

                                                                                                 Attribution: 御門桜
Image: Sakura Cherry Blossoms fare (here)

A is for Ablaze 

The given 3WW words:
ablaze deep rabid

Setting itself to whet the appetite
Of those appreciative of colors fare
Ablaze in sea of white and pink delights
A spectacle for the eyes so rare

Deep in their hearts an event awaited for
Knowing the nature of the phenomena
Available only for a few day’s of favor
Desire to experience it rabid all the more

Transience of the blossoms by nature
Its extreme beauty and quick death
Barely a week before the leaves appear
Sakura epitomizing the Japanese wealth

For Susan's hosting at PU's Midweek Motif
- cherry blossoms

Thomg's at 3WW week #421 and
Adele's National Poetry Month 2015

A whole new world opened up

                                                                      Attribution: Holunder @ Deviantart.com

The given words:
click dial infinitesimal (immeasurably small) designation regulation 
platitude (a trite dull or obvious remark) tread clarity
sheaf (to bind something into a sheaf or sheaves) inferior 

The cursor moved and a click
as smooth as waves lapping the shore
so it was just simple browsing
No more the need to dial
An infinitesimal change
But what a wonder!

A whole new world opened up
Aged bloggers could really appreciate
of designations free from regulations
a platitude of no effect or bother

Ease of surfing the 'Net
offered immense pleasure and convenience
everything on-line tugging to be provoked
into action

Treading cautiously educating oneself
through trial and error were common
Clarity of ideas honed through a sheaf
of facts bundled up to be unraveled were
playthings of the day

Physical presence of a dictionary
Readers' Digest collection of poetry
The Encyclopedia Britannica were things
of the past turned functionally inferior
no more by the side for references

Just type 'all the world's a stage'
and the poem appeared in full

Blogging a fun thing to do certainly!

But youngsters these days were still lazing
in bed busy engrossed with twitter and games
The sun was already up

A flock of wild geese flying off in the distance
was the only connection to reality if ever
could be considered so

Good things as had been said
given for free begged for attention

But rather a rabbit could cast influence as
a guardian angel instead of on a one to one basis

For MLMM's photo challenge #54 and
Wordle # 54

Heat and flames billowing

                                                                                            Attribution: Aaron Logan

Image: Fire breather (here)

The given words:
fiery call craft billow chance 
frame deal add sing back repair 

Fire breather a human
flame thrower
Literally a fiery call of a craft
Not shared by many

Heat and flames billowing
into the sky
An entry that needs
no announcement

Chances are no blisters on the lips
A spectacular feat from one whose
frame of mind seems daring but weird

A deal that astounds on-lookers
He  may add more colors
with a sing-song
By a lady in a supporting role
Just so to bring back the crowd

They will then repair for the night
a successful husband and wife act

For Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle # 204 and
Mary's at PU's Poetry Pantry # 245

wonder of love did transcend the divide

                                                                                                                             Attribution: Bruce Marlin
Image: An Asian Lady Beetle (here)

The given words:
3WW  -  chilly glorious petite
And prompt at:
d'Verse  -  savor the beauty and sharing it

They had it going for quite sometime
The wonder of love did transcend the divide
Pretty little darling awesome partner for a lifetime
Providence with divine intervention had to decide

Pretty much like the receding cold months
Why had it suddenly gone chilly
Glorious future awaited but now abandoned
Petite lady and dashing beau looking silly

Asian lady given to natural beauty
Ever wanting to share divergent views
Demure in make up perhaps foreign initially
Success in a union based on tested values

Can mixed marriages be given the space
to make it work and forgetting differences
Rather transposed into the similarities laced
with love the pull factor in a working environment

For Thomg's hosting of 3WW week #402 and
Mary's at d'Verse Poetics

sludge as a playground

                                                                                   Attribution: Jan Delsing
Image: Mud snails (here)

Beauty of it all
Luck of the draw to be free
sludge as a playground

Abundance given
feelings of security
safe unabated

Unwittingly real
Heavens above lashed hard but
welcomed by its kind

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #692 - mud snails

I am of small beginnings

                                                                                 

Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag Tales (here)

The given words:
am beginnings dream burns through wild 
clay powers tongues stolen sleep end

I am of small beginnings
but with a big dream
It burns right through
I am not able to thwart the onslaught
nor offer some expected resistance

It runs wild in clay soil
powers the roots in tongues
of spatial network that
no one sees but there down below

That is how I will grow
Twisted like strong hemp ropes
with muscles of Atlas

I will be riding stolen moments
and not losing sleep
but growing a massive trunk
with branches akin to bulging biceps

I will strive to no end
to be a strong sturdy oak tree!

For Tess' hosting at Magpie Tales #262
Brenda's at Sunday Whirl Wordle # 204 and
Mary's at PU's Poetry Pantry # 244

a tumultuous moment that had his heart racing

                                                                                      Attribution: Marlene Oostrvck
Image: al fresco Dining (here)

The given words:
3WW : annoy hushed pain
Poets United : sun

Guarded steps walking slowly
he plonked himself
Sat down glad to have secured a seat
al fresco ambiance sipping coffee
that should be fun to while away

The sun shone down
peeping through the clouds
He looked around the sea of people
Hoping to catch the waiter's attention
He wanted his coffee

He suddenly then realized
She was there as well
Sitting barely a pole way
but not facing him

He had not seen her when he arrived
Pleasantly surprised to see her there
Sitting nonchalantly all by herself
A tumultuous moment that had his heart racing
The same feeling when they parted company
but that was a decade ago

But why now
Why the same reaction
Why the same feeling

Did she choose to annoy him before
Was it deliberately done?
And now fate played a hand
Still to annoy him by having her there

He kept thinking
He had remained single all these years
Not wanting someone else to take her place
They did not keep contact though

Perhaps fate was trying to play Cupid
Wanting them to make up
Should he approach her
He was at odds
Yes, he should for old time's sake.

He was just about getting up
and she did as well

Then a shrill cry
of a little girl permeated the air
A cute 3 year-old
appeared out of no where
rushed into her arms
followed by a handsome looking guy
They hugged
a threesome
oblivious of the crowd

A hushed silence fell over him
It pained him
Unwittingly she still chose to annoy him

He quietly walked away
He would get his coffee some place else!

For Thomg's hosting at 3WW week #419
and Susan's at Poetry United's Midweek Mptif - the sun

Rustling of leaves in the open

                                                                                                    Artist : Josh Silburt
Imaage: Windy Day Killarney (here)

Rustling of leaves in the open
A tell tale sign it is around
Can feel but not outwardly visible
Unlike raindrops with resulting ripples

Sudden coolness whets the skin
Akin to a shower in the morning
A blessing that nature can offer
Unbuttoned coat is such a wonder

Winds of change is for the better
To bring them all to a level higher
Got wind of it often a surprise
Better or worse only later realized

Long-winded elements mark of a bore
Pushing one to make for the door
Knock the winds off their sails
Better option when all else fail

Sick outcome when Giant came on the scene
Last glimpses of heart-throb James Dean
Snuffed of life as those of hurricanes
When sadly Vanuatu recently felt the pain

For Kathleen's hosting at d'Verse
Poetics: winds of March

slow movements of windmills

                                                                                       Attribution: Sjrooney102

Image: A Modern day Wind Farm (here)

Winds of thoughts gliding

through the tunnels of the mind

Scraping for ideas

Goes through the motions

of slow movements of windmills

Heavy but smoothly

Some days stubbornness

plays its ugly game when words

fail to be poetry

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #688  -  windmills

the motivation is overwhelming!

Image: The Sunday Whirl

The given words:
blasphemy born deck dry keep monkeys 
plague rustling whole sweet tear

It is a blasphemy, a sacrilege
born of great minds decked
with countless awards and recognition
But still the motivation is overwhelming
It is hard to fathom
One is dry in the mouth

To keep up with the Jones
is no mean feat

One monkeys around on grandiose
projects and ideas around oneself
plagued with feelings of one-upmanship
Rustling through a whole bunch of cattle
on the plains with feelings of sweet nothings
but empty victory

And at the end of the day
With tears rolling down both cheeks
Thinking how one can be taken up
to throw hard earned stipend
on plain stupidity of an
unheralded show-off!

For Brenda's hosting at Sunday Whirl Wordle #203
and Mary's at PU's Poetry Pantry #243

Sprouts Racing with Each Other

                                                                                    Attribution: Janmariejohnston
Image: First Flowers of Spring (here)

Thoughts of colors in

your eyes brilliance of last year

now long overdue

Seeing sprouts racing

with each other in fighting

mood for barren space

Eager show-offs with

offer of first greens right from

nature’s sincere heart

For Chev's CARPE DIEM # 685  -  first flowers of spring
and Bill's at de Verse's OpenLinkNights #144

eyes with piercing looks

                                                                                         Attribution: Clement Bardot
Image: Demure good looks (here)

3WW given words:

giddy lewd needless

eyes with piercing looks

from those with lewd intentions

but virtuous cravings

stuck on giddy heights

looking down on those below

with bizarre pursuits

scary but sustained

needless to say the least sought

of crazy options

For Thomg's hosting of 3WW week 418 and
Mary's at Poetry Jam - the eyes have it

A most spectacular profession

                                                                Attribution: DenP Images (CCBYSA2.0)

Image: A Musical Theater Actor and Dancer (here)

The performing arts

A most spectacular profession

Where else is one under

the microscope

Open to public scrutiny

When one is thrown

to the deep end of the pool

And are immediately

expected to act and react

All references to fall back on

are in the head to be picked up

out of the bag at the right time

An actor dancer singer debater

even politicians all

are expected to think on their feet

and blurt out the needful

at the right time with the

accompanying body movements

The act of performing is noble

to be done with finesse

Not all can ‘perform’ with  flying colors

It takes special inborn talents

Some people are blessed

No small wonder they

command big money

including the politicians

who are accorded additional

talents to glorify and even hoodwink

their way to kingdom come

For Kerry's hosting at Real Toad's 
The Tuesday Platform  -  performing arts

Quenched to heart’s content

                                                                      Attribution: Kristjaan Paneman

Image:  A Japanese Garden (here)

Extending its due

Glassy plane of clear water

Quenched to heart’s content

Softness of landscape

Foraging currents provide

but some ugly moves

Set for happy mood

Easy waves of maiden’s hair

Passage to the sea

For Chev's CARPE DIEM -  time glass #24

to make it stretchy and elastic

                                                                                             Attribution: Yasamaster
Image: Kneading on a Colorful plate (here)

The given words:

club sting plant knead drive images 
trip excuses trample string wind 

Suspicion on the gambler’s club

Had been long on the cards

Youngsters who frequented

the premises took it as fun

But losing more than just

pocket money was serious

A sting could begin with a ‘plant’

akin to acts to knead dough

to make it stretchy and elastic

by milling with the crowd

and pulling back when required

as long as one was not discovered

The drive to get information

should not discard the clean

images of a refined gambler

They should not trip in their acts

No excuses to trample on

the genuine ones who took

to gambling as a vocation

A string of successes should

Signal a wind of change

For it was a risky venture

to be placed in a situation

of betrayal in the eyes of

the die-hard gamblers

They would not like their

activities to be flustered

It was a dangerous game

to be a police informer

For Brenda's hosting at Sunday Whirl wordle #202
and Mary's at PU's Poetry Pantry # 242

Water finds its own level!

                                                                                               Attribution: Nigel Cox
Image: Puddles Galore (here)

Pot-holes all over
Water finds its own level
Puddles insisting

Little innocents
Step into clear little pools
Seems to be real fun

Cape thrown to cover
the path taken by the Queen
Knighthood for Raleigh?

For Chev's CARPE DIEM  #681  -  puddles

A mother’s pride!

                                                                 Attribution: Tully & Toril Collaboration 

Image: Four Good Eggs (here)

strength in numbers

not alone in this world

blue rounded nuggets

imposing their will

a mother’s pride

tended with care

warmth of comfort

beneath the belly

for just a few days

extending power

and purpose

to break open

and face the world

beginnings of infant life

discerned through movements

eyes closed jostling for position

mouth open to receive

nature’s goodness

berries worms depending

on mother bird’s guile

feeding the young

among the chirpings

a mother’s pride!

For Margaret's hosting - Art
with Toril at Real Toads

time stood still for one with no dreams

                                                                                       Attribution: Tomas Castelazo
Image: Homeless with no worries (here)

3WW given words:

calculating messy envious

oblivious of reckoning and faceless

surrounded by those others pitching

in a competitive world running headless

a mind numb in efforts of calculating

time stood still for one with no dreams

while others grappling with their own

life not messy for one with no means

not in the rat race with no problems

passers-by envious of his existence

no bills to pay no one else to take care

wife children pets were all bothersome

ignored by others a vagabond laid bare

meals taken from the homeless kitchens

bed of roses made out of cardboards

cash thrown into the hat in abundance

fat savings accounts not unexpected

For Thomg's hosting at 3WW week #417
And Brian's at Poetry Jam -  to write
of something  - local

breaking for a wild one was basic!

                   

                                                                             Author: Francois Schmmer               

Image: Alexander taming Bucephalus (here)

The MLMM given words:

madcap (wildly impulsive, heedless) aureole (a halo)

flagellation (flogging, associated most frequently

with BDSM or religious penitence) craven (cowardly)

blister howl accident strap gnaw scale victim shelf

A madcap of a trainer

Wanting a saintly aureole

over his head to signal success

in his calling

Flagellation on the horse was

a normal occurrence

The riding crop in a craven
manner lashed intermittently

left and right on bare ribs

raising blisters but dismissed

as not being cruel

the hides were thick enough

to take the punishment

Howls of laughter were no accident
for the trainer and on-lookers

A jockey’s whip was thought

to be abusive but

breaking for a wild one was basic

The saddle straps gnawed

To a scale that made one cringe

No holds barred

Lest the trainer could turn

out to be to be the victim

unable to produce winners

To be left on the shelf as

a stable-boy was no option

For Georgia's hosting at Mindlovemisery's
Menagerie Wordle # 50

Like ants around sugar grains

                                                                               Attribution: Mark Marathon
Image: Swarm of Black Sugar Ants (here)

The given words:

circle empty fear flesh ghost granite 

howl names through veins weight

Circle of friends milling around

Like ants around sugar grains

Empty of skills or motivations

Standing on precipice of rocky terrain

Fear seen through pale colored flesh

Ghost-like that softens hard granite

Howls of laughter of wild caress

Throwing names with fervor of flight

That is how to survive through veins

Of weight ganging on victims who are duds

Unfortunate to fall prey to their whims

Crooks not working hard but 'working smart'

For Brenda's hosting at Sunday Whirl Wordle #201
and Mary's at PU's Poetry Pantry #241

To bring the cheer! - MF

Image: Courtesy of Grandma's (here)

Year of the Goat
Give a jolt
Start your pace
Do not give face
Book of wisdom
Says lots of achievments
For a whole year
To bring the cheer

(140 characters)

Note: Commemorating the Lunar
year of the Goat for this year.

It starts with the Chinese New Year (here)
(answering Brian's comments)

For Grandma's Goulash 
Succinctly Yours Week # 206
(to write a Micro Fiction of not exceeding 140 characters
and to include the word  - pace)